


Clear Skies

by Eustacia Vye (eustaciavye)



Series: Elemental [4]
Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2006-10-13
Updated: 2006-10-13
Packaged: 2017-10-07 00:45:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,989
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/59540
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/eustaciavye/pseuds/Eustacia%20Vye
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Avoiding an issue doesn't make it go away. Instead, it grows in silence and in dark corners. In some cases, curiosity is a good thing.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Clear Skies

"I don't get it."

Katara looked over at Sokka and rolled her eyes. "What don't you get?"

"Why we need that firebender."

Katara stifled a groan and continued to descale and debone the fish Sokka had caught. Toph was with them, bare feet firmly on the ground to keep track of where Aang and Zuko were training. Sokka didn't like the idea of Zuko with them, and over the past two and a half weeks kept bothering Katara about it. He had been merciless in the past two days, ever since he had seen Zuko yelling at Katara. It didn't help that Katara had refused to explain the incident.

"We've gone over this," Katara began. "Aang needs a teacher, he needs a place to be safe."

"And he's mean, and yells at you! Why should we keep him when there's other benders out there?" Sokka's jaw set. _"They_ wouldn't yell at you."

"Where? Sokka, he needs to learn this. Just leave it alone." Katara stripped the last of the scales and handed the fish to Sokka. "He's a good person underneath it all. Life isn't perfect, Sokka. You should talk to him sometime."

"Is that all you're doing with him?"

Katara threw the last fish at Sokka. "That's it. You just don't _see._ I'm not dealing with you like this anymore."

"Katara..." Sokka called out as she stomped off. "I don't get it," he whined to Toph. "Why doesn't she understand why I'm worried?"

"You don't tell her," Toph replied flatly. "You just tell her to stop holding his hand or to stop talking to him. You yell at her or you yell at him. I haven't heard ou say why, just that she shouldn't." Toph shrugged. "She's a big girl, Sokka. She'll be okay."

"But what if she's not? He chased us, he tried to take Aang prisoner... She's forgetting all of that."

"I don't think she's forgotten. I think she's moved on," Toph replied.

"Moved on to what?! A psychopathic killer?"

"He doesn't move like one," Toph commented mildly. "He's cautious and quiet, but he doesn't move like he's dangerous. He doesn't do anything out of line that I can tell.

"He's biding his time," Sokka challenged. "I know he is. It's just that it's too new. It's like waiting for clear skies to catch fish. Sit in the shadows long enough, the fish are used to you when it clears. Then you've got 'em."

"I don't' think so," Toph said confidently. "He's got no chance of survival now without us. He's lost without his Uncle. It's not like he would've gone after you if things were different."

"He's _Fire Nation._ That's what they do."

Toph turned away, toward the vibrations of Aang and Zuko. They were stepping repetitively; Toph knew they were going through stances. "He doesn't do that now. He hasn't done that in a long time."

Sokka blew out a breath of frustration. "I just don't trust him!" he cried, voice rising.

"But whose fault is that?" Toph asked. "He's not acting so strange."

"He yelled at Katara!"

"And she's not mad at him now. So why should you be? It's over with."

"And if it's not?"

"But it is. So let it go."

Sokka shook his head. "I'm responsible for her. I have to make sure that she's safe."

Toph patted his arm gently. "She's safe, Sokka. She's with us, and she can take care of herself. She can carry her own weight. Katara's a big girl now. You can't keep her in a box. She'll find a way out and hate you for it."

Sokka looked at Toph's placid face in wonder. "Do you hate your parents?"

"Not so much anymore. But I did then, because I'm no helpless flower they have to shelter and protect. Life happens. Things just happen. If you wrap her up and keep her safe, she'll never learn how to deal with things on her own. Then she'll really be hurt."

Sokka fell into a thoughtful silence, then began to descale the last fish. He put it into the pot and turned to Toph. "Thank you."

Toph leaned over and kissed Sokka's cheek. "Maybe you should talk to him. He's really not that bad, you know."

Sokka watched her walk off, and then grabbed his flint stones. He struck sparks on his third try, just as Aang and Zuko returned to camp from practice. Both were singed, but they did look pleased with themselves. Sokka couldn't help but resent Katara's bright smile at Zuko. He didn't see why she should be so happy if Zuko had a good day. _It's not as if he really talked about it, anyway,_ Sokka thought to himself.

Katara had apparently gone to the river to calm herself down, since her new bamboo tea set was in her hands. She looked around for a spot to set the tray, and somewhat reluctantly set it down near Sokka.

"Why don't you make the tea?" Katara asked Zuko softly. "In his honor."

Zuko stiffened. "I don't think this is a good idea."

"It's six months, Zuko," Katara murmured. "It's not right if I do it."

Reluctantly, Zuko sat down beside Sokka in front of the tea set. Sokka watched the other boy curiously, wondering what was going on.

"You can all stop staring!" Zuko snapped.

Aang, Toph and Katara all busied themselves elsewhere. Sokka unabashedly continued to stare.

"Is something wrong with that set? My sister specifically bought that. It's from an Airbender design, and it's supposed to make the best tea."

"It's not the set," Zuko ground out. Sokka noticed that his hands were fisted in his lap.

"Then what? You yelled at Katara enough over it two days ago," Sokka continued.

Zuko's fists tightened, knuckles turning white. "It's none of your concern," he said, voice low.

"None of my concern?! She's my sister!"

"And she has a mind of her own!" Zuko hissed. "I told her not to do this, and she did it anyway."

"Did what?"

Zuko growled and pointed to the tea set. "This. It looks like one my Uncle once had."

Suddenly it clicked. "He died six months ago."

"I told her to stay out of it. It's not her concern, and it's none of your concern, either."

"You don't have a picture." Sokka got up and moved so that he was next to the tea set. He took out his boomerang and began to make a crude sketch in the dirt. "Here."

"That's not my Uncle."

"Can you do better?" Sokka challenged.

"No." Zuko bowed his head, and began to brew the funeral tea. "Thank you."

Sokka blinked in surprise. "You're welcome."

The two boys sat side by side. Sokka watched over the fish stew and Zuko performed the memorial rites. Neither spoke to each other.

After dinner, Sokka noticed Katara leaving Zuko's side to sit by Toph to talk. He saw Zuko staring into space, a lost look on his face. Disconcerted, Sokka walked over to the other boy.

"It gets easier," Sokka began uncomfortably.

"What do you know about it?" Zuko challenged.

"Our mother's dead because of a Firebender attack," Sokka said bluntly. "I think I know what I'm talking about."

Zuko at least looked away. "Oh. I didn't know."

Sokka shrugged. "It's not like you had reason to."

"Katara never told me."

"Katara doesn't like talking about it much. But it gets easier. It doesn't go away, but it's easier to deal with," Sokka said, sitting down beside Zuko.

"I don't think so," Zuko replied, his voice low. "Not now, not ever. It's a cloud over me."

Sokka shook his head. "Then she wins."

Zuko rolled his eyes. "She's already won. She won a long time ago. I've just been too stubborn to realize it."

Not knowing what to say, Sokka remained silent for a time. "Katara was just trying to help."

"I know."

"So why did you yell at her?"

Zuko shrugged and looked away. "It doesn't matter."

"It does to me."

Zuko turned to face Sokka. "Do you know how I got this scar?" Confused, Sokka only shook his head. "My father gave it to me for disobeying him. I couldn't duel him. He said that I had been weak and dishonorable. And I had been; he was right. Your sister deserves better than a dishonored and banished prince."

Sokka remembered Zuko's fierce rage when they had first joined up. _Everything I have ever done was for honor!_ Zuko had raged. It was completely different from the boy sitting in beside him now.

"She thinks you're honorable." Sokka said slowly. "She defends you to me all the time."

Zuko digested that in silence. "Why are you telling me this?" he asked, voice quiet.

"Because maybe she's right. Maybe she's not, mind you; she's my little sister. But maybe she's right and you're not really as horrible as I thought you were."

"So now what?"

"I don't know. Doesn't matter."

Zuko raised an eyebrow at Sokka. "Why not?"

"Because if you hurt her, I'll kill you. Honorable or not, you won't get away with that."

Zuko mulled it over, nodding. Sokka had been serious, but had also given tacit approval. "I can live with that. I don't intend to hurt her."

"It's not what you intend that I'm worried about," Sokka intoned, rising. "Just... She's my sister, okay? Just take care of her."

Zuko watched Sokka move to sit by Aang. Sometimes these Water Tribe people didn't make sense, and at others...

Katara wandered her way back to Zuko's side. "Is everything okay?"

"Yes."

She wanted to roll her eyes and sigh. Sometimes it was so hard for him to let go of his pride, and at other times, it was only too easy for him. "Sokka seems to be capable of civil conversation after all. I'm surprised at him."

"Oh, he still threatened me if I ever hurt you."

An eyebrow lofted, Katara looked at Zuko. "He did?"

"He did."

"Oh. So now what?"

"I think that means he realizes it's a losing battle," Zuko said, a smirk twisting his lips.

Katara smacked Zuko's arm playfully and then leaned in closer. "I'm glad that the two of you were able to talk."

"It seems like all you Water Tribe people want to do is talk."

Katara poked Zuko's side. "It seems like you wanted to do that before, too."

Zuko looked away, uncomfortable. "Things are still new," he said finally.

"I know. But we'll be all right."

"You talk enough for the both of us," Zuko said quietly. "You tell stories of pirate ships and fairy tales and hope. You have me wishing it was real. I still don't know if I can believe in it as much as you do."

Katara wound her arm around him. "We'll be all right, Zuko. Sometimes those stories are to distract you, and sometimes they're to teach you. We're not that much different, you know. It's hard to believe we'll get through this. But we'll beat that army, and we'll restore order to the world. We will."

Zuko turned toward Katara. "Sometimes that feels like it's only a dream."

"Shouldn't we try to make our dreams reality?"

He touched her face gently. "Sometimes it works," he conceded.

Her smile was brilliant, like the sun in clear skies. "Sometimes it does."

"He's doing better," Zuko murmured, tracing her bottom lip with his thumb. "He's actually pretty gifted at firebending. It surprised me."

"He picks up everything easily. It annoyed me when I was still training."

Zuko smiled at her. "I remember your temper."

She grinned and nipped at his thumb with her teeth. "I still have it."

"I know."

They sat in companionable silence for a moment, just looking at each other. Sometimes they didn't need speech to communicate.

"We'll be okay," Zuko said finally. He even believed it.

Katara's smile was worth fighting for.

 

The End.


End file.
